TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
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Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate to whorled, simple to compound
Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower, 1many, generally arrayed in cymes, generally subtended by ± calyx-like involucre; flowers 1many per head
Flowers bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, ± small, of several types; calyx 0 or modified into pappus of bristles, scales, or awns, which is generally persistent in fruit; corolla radial or bilateral (rarely 0), lobes generally (0)45; stamens 45, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, often appendaged at tips, bases, or both, filaments generally free, generally attached to corolla near throat; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, style 1, branches 2, generally hair-tufted at tip, stigmas 2, generally on inside of style branches
Fruit: achene, cylindric to ovoid, generally deciduous with pappus attached
Genera in family: ± 1300 genera, 21,000 species (largest family of dicots): worldwide. Largest family in CA. Also see tribal key to CA genera: Strother 1997 Madroño 44(1):128. See glossary p. 25 for illustrations of general family characteristics.
Perennial, generally ± tomentose
Leaves basal and cauline, alternate, spiny, dentate to 13-pinnately lobed
Inflorescence: heads discoid, many, 1-flowered, sessile in spheric 2° heads; 1° involucre elliptic, subtended by bristles; phyllaries in several overlapping series; receptacle obconic, chaffy; 2° heads peduncled; 2° involucre bracts reflexed
Flowers 1 per 1° head; corollas white to blue; anther bases sharply tailed, tips narrowly triangular, acute; style with ring of minute hairs just below oblong branches
Fruit ± cylindric, 4-angled, hairy; pappus of many, short scales
Species in genus: ± 100 species: Medit, Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: hedgehog-like)
Introduced |
Plants 12 m
Stems simple to much-branched, glandular and ± tomentose
Leaves oblong-elliptic; base clasping; upper surface green, glandular; lower surface cobwebby-tomentose; lobes lanceolate to triangular
Inflorescence: 1° involucre 1525 mm, 1° phyllary tips expanded, fringed, spine-tipped, ± glandular; 2° heads 36 cm diam
Flowers: corolla tube long, throat very short, lobes ± linear
Fruit 78 mm, densely appressed-hairy; pappus scales 11.5 mm, ciliate, ± fused
Chromosomes: 2n=32
Ecology: Disturbed places
Elevation: ± 1300 m.
Bioregional distribution: Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: native to Eurasia
Sometimes cultivated.